


canis lupus familiaris

by magisterequitum



Category: Psy-Changeling - Nalini Singh
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-12
Updated: 2013-11-12
Packaged: 2018-01-01 08:23:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1042550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magisterequitum/pseuds/magisterequitum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He follows the pull that lets him know where she always is, that binding black and gold thread that means he is never alone. </p><p>There's one room left and he finds her on her knees beside the koi pond. Not a surprise. He'd had this room built because he remembered how much she liked the one on her family's grounds. She often did her muscle strengthening in this room. The surprise is the small mammal next to her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	canis lupus familiaris

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tosca1390](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tosca1390/gifts), [spyglass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spyglass/gifts), [empressearwig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressearwig/gifts), [katayla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/gifts), [torigates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/gifts).



> This is the most ridiculous thing I have possibly ever written, and yet here we are. Due in part to talking with others. 
> 
> For Emma and Grace who need some cheering up. Have a puppy!

Kaleb knows the instant that he reappears inside the house that someone else is there. 

He pauses where he's already raised his hand, ready to undo the cufflinks he'd put on this morning, and stills. Every inch of this house is familiar to him and he listens as he also does a telepathic sweep. A second and then soft laughter. A familiar sound as well. What is not known is the second mind that he registers but cannot ascertain just what it is. 

Wary, but certain now that there's nothing that requires a more expedient and violent reaction, he leaves his cufflinks behind. The bedroom, kitchen, living room are all empty. He follows the pull that lets him know where she always is, that binding black and gold thread that means he is never alone. 

There's one room left and he finds her on her knees beside the koi pond. Not a surprise. He'd had this room built because he remembered how much she liked the one on her family's grounds. She often did her muscle strengthening in this room. The surprise is the small mammal next to her. 

"Sahara." 

Sahara looks up and Kaleb's arrested by the beatific smile on her face, the laugh that's still on her tongue, how bright her eyes are. A sight that he captures in his mind and folds away as his own. One that pleases him to see her so happy. 

"Kaleb," she says on an exhale, holding the wiggling body of the animal close to her when it tries to leap towards the newest arrival in the room. "Look who I found." 

_Canis lupus familiaris_ he thinks, the name dredged from the recesses of his mind. He steps closer, noting the wagging tail and soft drooped ears. "You found?" he asks, already knowing that this cannot be true, judging by the smile on her face. 

She bites her bottom lip and shrugs. Her mouth tips up into a smile again. "Or maybe took." The puppy licks at her hand, tiny teeth nibbling. "There's a human girl in my linguistics class who had a litter. This was the runt. Or so she said. I can't see anything wrong with him." 

Kaleb combs through the definitions stored in his mind again, pulling up any knowledge on animals and dogs. He steps closer, rolling up his sleeves, and then folds himself down onto the floor. There is nothing he can tell that is wrong with the animal. He holds his hand out, palm vertical and flat, just as the material he'd recalled told him to. _He?_

The puppy cannot bite him this way, no purchase to be found with his hand in this position, and so it sniffs him, eager and excited. A wet tongue follows after a moment. Apparently he is good enough for the young dog. 

_Yes. A boy._

His gaze shifts to the side, noting the tennis ball and other toy nearby. "How did you get him things already?" 

Sahara grins, ruffling the puppy's ears. "Vasic got them after bringing me home." 

He frowns immediately and wonders how she managed to talk the Arrow into finding suitable play things for the dog and then to teleport them here. "That's not his purpose." 

She purses her mouth and her tone slips into teasing. "You only told them they had to escort me to outside the home when you were busy. Not that they couldn't do anything else." 

Kaleb thinks on that for a moment and concedes her point. A win in their logistical games. He nods. "You have a point." He lets the dog lick his hand again. "Do you want to keep him?" 

Peering up at him, shorter even as he is kneeling on the floor beside her, she says telepathically, _It would be nice. To have him too._

He clicks his tongue and folds his fingers down to rub over soft fur and nose. _If you think we can take care of him._

"He likes you already." 

His mouth twitches at the corner. "As you wish." 

Sahara leans forward and kisses him quick, mouth a hard press against his before has to pull back because of the squirming animal between them. "Thank you," she says, voice quiet and eyes bright. "We'll have to name him. Pets have names." 

He eyes the brown fur and tilts his head to the side. _Judd_

Brow furrowing, she strokes the puppy's head that now has drooped to rest on her leg. _You want to name him after your friend?_

 _It matches._ Resolute. And a perverse satisfaction as he remembers their last meeting when the other man had nearly gleefully pointed out that the world now thought of Kaleb as a savior. 

She shakes her head. _If you wish. I'm sure he'll be flattered._

Decidedly not, but that's not the point. The psychic bond twists between them, pleasant and warm and he silently surrounds himself with it, content to watch her smile. It is enough.


End file.
